Homer Lee Gibbins 25:16
Yeah well I’m gonna say I took the knowledge that I had taken from learning the different trades and using it now into taking care of the facility. I still travel in between buildings because you know, our company is growing and we’re constantly acquiring new buildings. So I just take all the knowledge that I’ve got a building industry and use that in a way of trying to make it better for my clients you know, saying it seems like everybody’s my boss
Greg Owens 25:55
seems that way for me to even though I own my own company you know, it’s like the clients I am the field the field employees and then I have the office employees right? And so tell tell me a bit about the buildings and the type of buildings that you’re managing and what it is like where’s your Where’s what’s the niche or specialty that you guys look at?
Homer Lee Gibbins 26:22
Well, our company we maintain the buildings we also are going he also does the leasing for the buildings they take in the contract the wellstar Piedmont gives us the building to manage for them we managed there overall our company does we take care of wellstar Piedmont a number of other facilities we’re in three or four different states right now. We can’t do we do the leasing of the building we take care of that we take care of the main the southern buildings making sure that the tenants are happy making sure that our buildings are profitable doing things that we had to do to make sure that we’re looking at other other products that are out there that are you know the LED lighting is it feasible I came into World War my buildings their their Linux machine which is reality machine is controlled by the water is cooled by the water from the city. I’m like I do the math and one if this had a chiller even though I know we’re gonna put out this amount of money for a chiller it pays for itself in a year and a half. If I can get a return on my investment in a year and a half I want to go that route so far we PMI has not seen the benefit of going there so we’re still going the way they the way they were logged in by sea water but we’ll see what they do. If they’re going to hold on to the building hopefully they’ll look at the fact that I’m doing everything I can in their best interest to save the money in the long run.
Greg Owens 28:29
Right right and how many what’s the approximate like square footage that you’re managing and or how many buildings
Homer Lee Gibbins 28:40
I maintain four buildings total four buildings. three or more on the south side which are 45 minutes from my main building. My main building is six floors in South Atlanta so square footage wise man I can’t tell you all the square footage we got wrapped up and everything but I’ve never I’ve never seen and done the math on that.
Greg Owens 29:10
What and what towns what towns are those close to because i like i said i know Atlanta. What what what
Homer Lee Gibbins 29:17
we see his point. His point is the main bill nice points just south of Atlanta. You know I say laughter then the next next to the DSM for the county with Atlanta. But as these points mean, you gotta have these points. I’ve got one, two buildings in groups and one in Barnstable, which is south south is 45 minutes south of Atlanta Street. Yeah.
Greg Owens 29:46
Yeah.
Homer Lee Gibbins 29:49
Ours is so unique place I love it. Nice. I live in xavion, which is right close to Gryphon in barns Also, I’m right in the middle between those two
Greg Owens 29:59
Right, right, my friend My friend and mentor lived on maybe it’ll come to me a little bit. He used to live near Stone Mountain, but that’s not the case anymore in the company. His company is. It was called Burke painting. And they do commercial painting throughout the whole Atlanta. area. There I know Burke Painting. Oh, nice. Yeah. Debbie, did you meet George Burke?
Homer Lee Gibbins 30:26
I remember George Burke knows.
Greg Owens 30:29
Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I’m good friends with his I’ve been talking with his wife, Shelly Burke right now to a lot and they’re, they’re doing great. It’s It’s a wonderful company. And I’ve learned a lot from going having, you know, somebody that was bigger company than me. And also like he was he’s 10 years older than me. And I found that having those kinds of mentors in my life, and I’ve had quite a few. Luckily, that has been really important for me.
Homer Lee Gibbins 31:01
Yeah, I think there’s one of the things that the younger generation has lost the, the understanding that getting around older people, and letting them pass along their knowledge to Hey, Neil, it’s just like inbox. And I will try everything. Because I never knew if I was ever going to need it or not. Because there may come a day when you’re in the ring with somebody, and you pull that out. And all of a sudden, new works. So even in business, doing things from a facility maintenance, wise, the way guys do things, I’m like, hey, let me let me try that that way to see, see if I can get that to work for me like that. A lot of times it works.
Greg Owens 31:53
Yeah, I love that. I love that attitude, because, and I think that’ll help you and I, as we get older to write that constant, constant, never ending thirst for learning.
Homer Lee Gibbins 32:04
Well, you know, I say, in the Bible, again, the thing that was granted most not money, not riches, now fame, but knowledge, you know, when you ask for knowledge, that’s what was granted. So hopefully, that’s gonna be there be our case, you know, we’re gonna get the wisdom we need,
Greg Owens 32:23
hopefully, hopefully, do our doing our best, right like and and keep trying and keep you know, even when you make mistakes, and that kind of thing, because I know, it’s interesting as I get older, that can I can be the lessons I’ve learned a long time ago, for some reason, I have to relearn again, right.
Homer Lee Gibbins 32:45
And sometimes, that’s the case, we have to go back to the drawing board and go, okay. It’s never an easy, it is never an easy thing. But it works. In the end. It is a gradual, gradual learning process, you have to go back to the woodshed and start backing in.
Greg Owens 33:10
Right, right. So, you know, it’s been and what 16 summit, a good chunk of time in this pandemic, right? What have you and I know Atlanta is rules compared to California completely different. What what it was, what are some of the challenges that you guys in Atlanta are going through now, when it comes to the pandemic and COVID and this new Delta variant that’s come up? Well,
Homer Lee Gibbins 33:40
it’s just being understanding what what your people in your buildings are going through, you’re being responsive to them. If they want you to have a mask on then a one on if, if they’re comfortable, you working without, it’s okay. I let people choose them choose what they want. If they want me to come in after hours, have you’re out of the facility. You know, yes, it does mess for my schedule, but is whatever I gotta do for you to make you app. So just doing that kind of thing. I have already changed much of my day to day schedule, other than I will come in earlier to take care of some thing because certain people have, you know, they’ve got to take care of patients. So whatever makes them feel comfortable. I’ll do
Greg Owens 34:40
yeah, that’s we have stricter rules than that. We’ve gotten back in Northern California here to having law saying that we have to wear masks indoors and we just did a we just did a project for a pharmaceutical company. And they were super strict and they’re actually one of the pharmaceutical company. He’s making one of the vaccines. And so they had they had some really interesting strict sort of policies, you know, and beautiful building, it was great to be able to do some work for them.
Homer Lee Gibbins 35:13
Wow. Yeah, he say, I just, you know, I don’t know what the future holds. But I’m assuming that with the way Delta she has shown itself, and then the variance at thing, it’s gonna be here to stay for a good while. So we’re wrestling as long as we can. I just, I was supposed to go see a concert yesterday iration from out there in your area. And I was gonna go see them and get to go backstage and meet the guys, where they had vaccine mandates and stuff like that. So I was like, it is what it is me, he’s got to do what you got to do.
Greg Owens 36:01
Right. Right. Well, hopefully they come through your area, or, you know, have a few more shows,
Homer Lee Gibbins 36:09
sir.
Greg Owens 36:11
Yeah. And so yeah, it’s interesting, you know, it’s so hard to predict what’s going to happen, I believe, like you saying that it’s going to be with us for a while, right. And we’re going to go through sort of our ups and downs and, and I do think there’s like a need for a lot of people to have, like personal responsibility, right? Like that, if you’re one of the people that this thing can affect you more, if you have an autoimmune disease, or something along those lines, that, then maybe you should really think about not going to those concerts and go into those places, right? And shelter at home more, and if you know, if you’re feeling healthy, and young and good. And as long as our hospitals are not overwhelmed, then, you know, take some more risks as we we’ve got to get out there and, and move around and socialise. And because that’s an important part of being a being human
Homer Lee Gibbins 37:07
meaning alive. Yeah, most definitely, you know, I say, you know, I don’t, I think everybody has the right to choose for you what’s best for you. And I want, I want to impose my beliefs on anybody, and how I want other people to impose your beliefs on me, I have to Jimmy, I’ve been compromised because I had lung surgery a few years back, and my daughter was born in premature, and one of the things that she has for long, so we do things for her to make the best for her. So me everybody has to choose for themselves and have lost people that I love to death. At the same time. My family has a my my father, my brother’s sister, have had COVID. And they are whether they’ve got the monoclonal antibodies, which is different. And they didn’t get the shot the vaccine, but they did get the monoclonal antibodies. I don’t know. I don’t know if we we have not had we never tested positive for COVID. But I say we take care of our search our tree healthy, try to do things like that. We my wife mixes up some solution we breathe in, to try to clean everything out, you know, just when we can do to stay healthy.
Greg Owens 38:43
Yeah, yeah, it’s so important. And you know, there’s a placebo effect of all that stuff, too, right? Like, I’m a big believer, and, you know, and I know for it to if my brain can make it feel like it’s good, and then that’s great, too. I’ll take it. Well, yeah, I’d
Homer Lee Gibbins 39:01
say you have a positive mindset. You know, I mean, because you know, being negative or depressed about stuff that’s more detrimental to your heart. And then this virus is so you’re constantly, that’s why you’re visiting people, talking to people, sharing, you’re sharing time with people, whether it’s via zoom, or whether it’s actual in person. It’s important now you know, and that we as human beings we were made for, for content and be an encouragement to one another. So hopefully, excited, this won’t last long and we’ll be able to get back to normal. With We’ll see.
Greg Owens 39:54
We’ll see. That’s for that’s for sure. Now and I see in your background there. You have a lot of books. Any particular books that have been beneficial to you, or any, any other sort of technology or something like that that’s been beneficial to you your career, your path? Well,
Homer Lee Gibbins 40:15
we started the Bible. And our faith is a strong part of who we are. They I love for my kids to read more. I wish they would read more. They say they have this we do. We do homeschooling. So a lot of this is homeschool. So
Greg Owens 40:43
you have seven kids. And you’re homeschooling them all. Yeah, your time is definitely crunch.
Homer Lee Gibbins 40:51
Two of them, they are out of the house. But we got five at home and the five at home are 16 my son turns 14 1210 and five.
Greg Owens 41:01
Wow, that’s wonderful. It’s,
Homer Lee Gibbins 41:05
it’s crazy around here.
Greg Owens 41:08
You know, I, I’ve always admired that bigger families with six, seven kids. Because I’ve always I’ve always thought the kids were so much better, more disciplined, and more helpful around the house. And I don’t know if this is true for you. But from my observation. Just wrecked my whole theory. But they but you know, a lot of times, it’s like the older kids were, the necessity to help out was so important. And so they had to get responsibility at a very early age, right compared to somebody that’s just I had there was only three of us in my family. Three, my parents only had three kids. And you know, and then I have quite a few friends that are just one kid, right? And that one kid gets really, really a tremendous amount of attention. Well,
Homer Lee Gibbins 42:02
you know, I grew up and there was me, my brother and my sister. I was the oldest son is eight years later that my brother and then seven years later, I had my sister. So I was 15 my sister came along and my wife is came from three or she was at our rather than she came along and 77 and two years later a brother younger brother came. So for us to have seven was kind of outside my norm. Outside of something I thought that you know, if you told me you have seven kids, I’ve been like, I don’t know what you’re drinking. But I’d like to have some.
Greg Owens 42:43
Yeah, that’s great. That’s great. And then so what and what are you doing these days to stay in shape so you went from working out twice a day. And as a professional boxer It sounds like you’re you’re coaching or you’re training others
Homer Lee Gibbins 43:00
I do twice a week I do teach kids the art of boxing and grownups as well just keep active. I put up put on a little bit too much weight I need to start working on getting my weight down.
But everything comes down to time and that’s the thing I don’t have a lot of time
I have a five year old and I want to come home and spend time with my kids and see my kids and not be constantly thinking oh I need to go run or oh I need to go do this so well but do you need to do something they may keep myself around so because I need to be around for a long time to get to get them out of the house.
Greg Owens 43:50
Right? That’s true. And I guess if you’re homeschooling them the do they think about going to college?
Homer Lee Gibbins 43:58
Oh yeah,
yeah, you know,
my my son, my son can solve the Rubik’s cube in like 22 seconds Wow, he’s just a he’s he’s mind blowing. He puts these Lego guns together and shoot Legos and he builds on just a mathematically He’s like, he blows my mind. Of course See, he’s not a he’s not a bad boxer. He would love to box and I’m like you’re entirely too smart to box. You know. I want you to I want you to know how to protect yourself. Don’t get me wrong. I see but realistically doing this as to compete or to win a trophy or to do it as a living. Not for you know, my I’m big on pushing my kids to do music. All my kids are required to take pin Wow. My my son’s gonna start violin my daughter just started learning the guitar plus the piano. So yeah, I’d love for them to do something musically. I’ve got a lot of friends that are musical. And a lot of the guys I grew up watching in bands rose through his car career supply your friend of mine CVD depending with both cherry, those guys, I mean, just watching them perform. You can do that until you’re 7080 years old. Look at the Rolling Stones. Yeah, oximeter sports you can only do for a short period of time.
Greg Owens 45:43
That is so true. That is so true. And you touched on something there. That’s That’s so great. Because Where did your artistic sort of endeavours come from? You mentioned it earlier that you are an artist. But you’re also, you also saw the need that you wanted your kids to learn the piano or other musical instruments? Where does Where did that come from? Or how did that get set into you? Well,
Homer Lee Gibbins 46:13
I’ve always loved music, as being an artist, as a kid of God, just give to me when you’re talented. And we’ve passed that along to our children, because my wife is an artist as well. She actually has a degree in graphic design are Mercouri that was, that was 16 years ago, before we had children. She, since we started having children, and she said, she felt that she was called to be a stay at home mom, and take care of our children. And then it was my job to make sure that I paid the bills. Now some days, like it’s very scary. But we’ve made it work. And we’ve been blessed beyond belief. And the time that she spends with our children teaching are doing our work and just, they’re watching their mind explode with creativity. It is it’s amazing, it makes me think that we’ve chosen the right path for us.
Greg Owens 47:21
Yeah, you know, and it’s so sad to see, I mean, I can see the appeal of homeschooling kids, because, you know, the public school system sort of pushes aside the arts in so many ways, and including music. And I think, you know, I think the research is very clear that it’s so beneficial to the young, young brains to have that, you know, to have that outlet to have that ability to learn music, they use so much more of their brain, it lights up so much more. Right? Well, yeah, I
Homer Lee Gibbins 47:57
mean, you know, I mean, and I mean, I’ve never known somebody who can play the piano, who got up in their, you know, adult years and thought, Wow, that was a waste of my time. Huh? Hey, you know, I mean, just being able to do that, like, say, and we’ve played so much variety of music from the 1920s. To Justin Bieber, as we play it all around here. Yeah, yeah. I want my kids to, to, to understand that, you know, it’s a part of what we do as far as life is, I mean, you know, there’s, each generation has their songs. And my kids have seen me, go to different concerts and meet the bands and just my appreciation for them now tell him where my kids are doing new learning the piano, and they’re like, Oh, they encourage them that way. So like, so yeah, I love it. I’m very thankful that my wife has been one that was willing to learn to have the passion to teach our children because there are some days if it was me, I’d been like, these kids are going to school.
Greg Owens 49:15
Because that’s patience, right? The homeschooling kids is in seven kids is incredible amounts of patience, a lot of patience, though, that’s that’s, that’s phenomenal. And as we get closer here to the end, what anything on the horizon that you’re excited about, like the scene coming up coming?
Homer Lee Gibbins 49:36
No, I just take every day as it comes. Now for sure what tomorrow holds. And we just got to cherish what we’re what today we have. I’ve seen people that have passed away that were younger than me. So we just need to cherish today and what we have today and continue to do Looking for a brighter future tomorrow?
Greg Owens 50:02
Yeah, that’s great. That’s great advice and, and how, what’s the best way for people? For the listeners of this podcast or anybody that wants to get in touch with you? Because you’ve got so many different realms to your life? It would LinkedIn be the best way because we can put it in the show notes.
Homer Lee Gibbins 50:19
Yeah, they reach out to link LinkedIn or they can reach out and look, they can look online, YouTube. I’m on YouTube, I’m on Facebook. Homer, Lee Gibbins, G-I-B-B-I-N-S depends on who you talk to you talk to my friends in New York is a cube is because I was a time tell to my other friends is because we’re Irish. I don’t know where we are.
Greg Owens 50:48
Right? That’s great. And, yeah, and the gym that you work out at? Where is that located? The way you teach
Homer Lee Gibbins 50:57
is actually right here on property. Oh, wow, is everyone. I can walk down to it. And, and I keep it real reasonable. $25 a month, two nights a week. So it’s your own business? I just want people. Yeah, you know, like I say, there’s some kids that can’t afford to pay. And like, any health plan in the gym, come home and clean the gym, and then I’ll teach. And it’s just a way of, you know, if you want to be immortal in this life, you pass along what you know, to someone else, and then they continue to pass it along. And then you know, that’s how you become immortal in this life.
Greg Owens 51:41
That’s great. I like that how to become immortal in this life. Pass the knowledge along. That’s wonderful. It’s been absolutely great talking to you, Homer. I wish you the best. I will definitely reach out to you the next time I’m in Atlanta, maybe we can have a coffee or I’d love to see your gym there. You know, on your property. That sounds amazing. You said it’s 75 acres.
Homer Lee Gibbins 52:07
Though five acres in total? Yes, sir. Yeah, that’s
Greg Owens 52:09
great. Yeah, I live on not that. In the city here. We have a little bit of land but not nothing. Not even close to
Homer Lee Gibbins 52:18
Atlanta. When I was in California. I was amazed like, you know, I saw this nice house nice house and everything. But the guy was like, This is $500,000 I was like, hot. You know, in Georgia what you could give her that. Nikes but yeah,
Greg Owens 52:40
absolutely. Yeah, it’s cool. It’s ridiculous out here. It’s It’s It’s gotten so expensive. You know, and it’s also we’re not you know, this state is troubled. We have a lot of disasters. A lot of fires this year. It’s not been fun. You should
Homer Lee Gibbins 52:58
think about moving to Georgia.
Greg Owens 53:02
Yeah, and do you have a lot of friends there? It’s tough. You know, moving moving. I moved out here from New York and living here. You know, you definitely put down roots, right? And you you have like all your connections, your network and all that stuff takes time to build right. But yeah, most definitely. But and, and there’s some definitely good aspects of living here. I can go surfing and skiing in the same day. It’s not easy to do in Georgia.
Homer Lee Gibbins 53:35
on the coast,
Greg Owens 53:37
right, right, and then you’re not going to be able to get good snow.
Homer Lee Gibbins 53:42
No, no, no.
Greg Owens 53:46
Homer, thank you so much for being on this podcast. It’s been a pleasure talking to you. We went sort of a lot of different directions, which I really enjoy. It’s great to learn a few things about you. And I wish you the best in the coming months and year and getting the rest of those kids out of the house.
Homer Lee Gibbins 54:04
Alright. And Greg, take a step. God bless my friends.
Greg Owens 54:09
yes to you, too. This has been the Watching Paint Dry podcast. Thank you, everybody.
Outro 54:24
Thanks for listening to the Watching Paint Dry podcast. We’ll see you again next time and be sure to click subscribe to get future episodes.